For three crimes of Moab, and now four—

I will not take it back—

Because he burned to ashes*

the bones of Edom’s king,

2I will send fire upon Moab,

and it will devour the strongholds of Kerioth;

Moab shall meet death amid uproar,

battle cries and blasts of the ram’s horn.

3I will cut off the ruler from its midst,

and all the princes I will slay with him, says theLord.

For three crimes of Judah, and now four—

I will not take it back—

Because they spurned the instruction of theLord,a

and did not keep his statutes;

Because the lies* which their ancestors followed

have led them astray,

5I will send fire upon Judah,

and it will devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.

For three crimes of Israel,* and now four—

I will not take it back—

Because they hand over the just for silver,

and the poor for a pair of sandals;b

7They trample the heads of the destitute

into the dust of the earth,

and force the lowly out of the way.

Son and father sleep with the same girl,*

profaning my holy name.

8Upon garments taken in pledge

they recline beside any altar.*c

Wine at treasury expense

they drink in their temples.

9Yet it was I who destroyed the Amorites before them,

who were as tall as cedars,

and as strong as oak trees.

I destroyed their fruit above

and their roots beneath.d

10It was I who brought you up from the land of Egypt,

and who led you through the desert for forty years,

to occupy the land of the Amorites;

11I who raised up prophets among your children,

and nazirites* among your young men.

Is this not so, Israelites?—

oracle of theLord.

12But you made the nazirites drink wine,

and commanded the prophets, “Do not prophesy!”e

13Look, I am groaning beneath you,

as a wagon groans when laden with sheaves.

14Flight shall elude the swift,

and the strong shall not retain strength;f

The warrior shall not save his life,

15nor shall the archer stand his ground;

The swift of foot shall not escape,

nor shall the horseman save his life.

16And the most stouthearted of warriors

shall flee naked on that day—

oracle of theLord.